RAVENOUS

@rexargentum​ ~ Cassandra the Dust Eater

‘Did you hear? There’s a Claymore in town?’

‘Why, did we send one?’

They didn’t, but here Cassandra was. A runaway from the Organization couldn’t be seen inside or near her respected territory. Best option was to go into the Northern lands, where there were fewer warriors. Stronger warriors stayed in the middle of the lands, and from what she could remember, #10, #18, #21 and #44 were in the north. Not a cause for concern. She couldn’t sense anyone and if they had awakened, Cassandra wouldn’t need to put much effort into a fight. 

Even under the layers of snow, the sound of her metal boots ringed off the brickwork as she moved further into the village which acted more like a boarder station. Still in her uniform, Cassandra stood out, but her body language screamed she wasn’t here for a fight. She sat on a low fence and let out a small sigh of relief- having no idea that the first #1 was nearby…

       Rarely was there any reason for Isley to hide his presence; the other Awakened and the Organization alike knew where to find him. It was his land–his home–and few dared to challenge him on it. But, all that being said, Isley chose to exercise caution when he felt a particularly powerful youki approaching. A single digit, he suspected. Probably in the top four.

       That was why he had to suppress his own youki. Whether this warrior was there to cause trouble or not remained to be seen, but either way, he wasn’t going to invite conflict. Best not to approach while flaunting his strength.

(( idk if anybody needs this, but here’s a list of terminology that will pop up a lot on this blog. Content warning for cissexist bullshit ahead; the story puts a lot of focus on physiological differences between “men and women,” and the author is clearly only thinking about cis people when doing so (though ironically manages to heavily imply Isley is trans with this stupid stunt, so... yay?). Also BIG SPOILERS AHEAD. If you want to read the manga someday, peruse this list at your own risk. ))

Yoma/youma – A species of shapeshifter that disguise themselves as humans for the express purpose of preying on them. They primarily eat organs, but will take a bite out of other body parts now and then.

Yoki/youki – The energy that Yoma, Claymores, and Awakened Beings emit. It’s functionally roughly the same as aura in many media types, and has a variety of uses including (but not limited to) regeneration, shapeshifting, influencing each other’s movements, and sensing each other.

The Organization – A group of individuals dedicated to the study and eradication of Yoma. At least, that’s what they claim.

Claymore – An unofficial nickname for human/Yoma hybrid warriors created by the Organization. Even the weakest of these warriors are often just as strong as Yoma, and the strongest among them can easily manage hordes of Yoma on their own. Active warriors are assigned number ranks based on strength, with 1 being the strongest and 47 being the weakest. In modern times, they are exclusively female.

Silver Eyed Witch/Slayer – Another nickname for Claymores, based on their eerie metallic silver eyes.

Single Digit – Refers to Claymores ranked 1-9. Not only are they the strongest of the currently active warriors, but they’re granted authority over the lower ranks on missions when working together. Unlike the lower ranks, there is often a huge gap in strength between each Single Digit. So, for example, one might not be able to tell any real difference in ability between a 33 and a 39, there could easily be a world of difference between a 3 and a 4.

Male Era – Refers to the very first generation of Claymores, and so named because it was the only generation in which men could volunteer. As male warriors were discovered too prone to quickly Awakening, they were barred from being used in future generations.

Awakened Being – A Claymore that has (whether by accident or intentionally) given into their Yoma side and become full monster. Interestingly enough, while their diet and basic ability to shift between human and monster form are the same as a Yoma’s, they are much stronger than Yoma, and their true forms vary so wildly that they are not recognizable as a single species at a glance.

Abyssal One/Creature of the Abyss – Any Awakened Being that was ranked number 1 during their time as a Claymore. Though there are occasionally Awakeneds comparable in power, the Abyssal Ones are widely regarded as the strongest of their kind.

Powerful Three – A nickname given to the original Abyssals: Isley of the North, Riful of the West, and Luciela of the South. They are acknowledged by both other monsters and the Organization as monarchs of their respective regions.

The Forbidden Warriors – A nickname given to the preserved corpses of three Single Digits (each ranked number 1 of their respective generation) resurrected in a controversial experiment. These three–Dust Eater Cassandra, Roxanne of Love and Hate, and Hysteria the Elegant–later Awakened. Like the Powerful Three, they are considered Abyssal Ones.

“Hear! Hear! That’s the spirit.”